1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a security device for display of electronic hand held items and, in particular, to a device for marketing mobile phones which allows a potential customer to hold a phone at a limited distance from a display stand while automatically retracting and correctly positioning the hand held device on the display stand after its release.
2. Prior Art
With the growth of electronic devices in general and the ability to miniaturize in particular, light weight hand held mobile phones and similar devices have become pervasive. Items, such as cell phones, and hand held computers are sold to the public in a wide range of stores. To properly market such devices, consumers need to assure themselves that they can comfortable be used and manipulated by his/her hands In other words the consumer must be free to hold the device. But by allowing a consumer to inspect the item, the retailer is subjecting themselves to substantial loss through theft and other forms of shrinkage and breakage. It is equally important for marketing of cell phones and hand held computers that they be displayed in an upright position. Various attempts have been made to make retail displays which allow manipulation of displayed items while attempting to prevent theft.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,183 issued on Sep. 21, 1993 to Leyden discloses a tethering device for use in locations such as motel rooms that allows a remote control to be used but prevents its removal from the room. A spring in combination with a spool and cable allows a user to pull a hand-held remote control from a fixed position and automatically returns a the hand-held remote control back to its original location. It is not a display device for marketing. It does not guide the displayed item after release into a desired upright display position. There is simply no mechanism for turning the hand held remote upright.
While there have been a number of holders for hand held telephone, hand held computers and the like, they have been for the purpose of facilitating carrying and using the device rather than for security in display and marketing. There has been no mechanism as such for securing a mobile phone on a display but rather various devices that achieve the reverse. Such devices come with a variety of quick release mechanisms. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,645 issued on May 11, 1999 to Tsay; U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,302 issued on Sep. 10, 1996 to Wang.
While U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,921 issued on Dec. 14, 1999 to Pfahlert and Philips discloses a lockable cradle for holding a radiotelephone for use in vehicles it is released by a radio signal. This vehicle mounted device must be of a special construction and size to mate with the security system having grooves. It is neither designed for use in display systems, with existing devices, nor with a retracting and positioning system of the present invention.
The present invention for displaying mobile phones and other hand-held devices is comprised of three major components: a clamping system, a retracting system and a positioning system.
The clamping system of the present invention comprises two parts which are fastened together around a fitting attached to the end of a cord. The fitting may have a hole drilled through it to allow such a fastening. A security screw or bolt holds the two parts together with a key required to turn the head of the bolt or screw. The clamping system is locked onto the fitting and cannot be removed without the proper key. The clamping system has a lip on two opposite sides which prevents a person from removing the hand held device when the clamping system is fastened to the fitting and the hand held device is within the lips of the clamping system and attaches to a cable with a device also having a positioning guide to assure proper orientation of the hand-held device on display.
The retracting system comprises a coil spring, a spool and a cord mounted in a common decorative housing on which the mobile phone or the like rests. One end of the coil spring connects to the spool and the other end is attached to the housing. The cord is wrapped around the spool with one end attached to the spool and the other end attached to the mobile phone. When the mobile phone is moved from the housing the spool is turned and the coil spring is placed in tension. When the phone is released, the coil spring returns the spool to its original position.
The present invention has a positioning system to bring the cell phone back to its desired display position. The cord attached to the spool and the telephone is made from a relatively stiff material such as braided steel wire or cable. Thus, if the cord is pulled from the display stand and the cell phone is twisted or turned, the cord will develop a counter force to return the cell phone, upon release, to the original, upright position. To guide the hand held device into the proper position, the cord has on the end that emerges from the housing a first half of a positioning system which connects to the clamping system. The positioning system comprises interlocking or complementary male and female fittings. The fitting attached to the end of the cord may be either male or female with a corresponding mating fitting mounted on the housing. The cross-section of the male-female fitting pair may be of any shape other than circular with ovoid shapes preferred and cross-sectional ovoid shapes having guiding ribs contained within the ovoid female cross-section or on the exterior of the male ovoid cross-section most preferred. A non-circular shape, such as an ovoid, along with the ribs will assure that when the male fitting enters its female counterpart, the orientation of the fitting at the end of the cord will be the same as when the fitting, clamping system, or any device held within the clamping system, was pulled. The ribs assist with the guidance of the male fitting into the female fitting and assure that the fitting will return to its intended display orientation. Thus, the security display device of the present invention meets the needs of consumers and merchants by enabling a potential purchaser to conveniently examine a hand-held item such as a cell phone, conventional phone, camera, personal organizer and the like while preventing its theft and guaranteeing its return to a suitable display position when released after examination.